supply chains – KCS Group Asia Ltd

The Western Balkans – the rising threat from Russia and the risks for Europe

Articles / Conflict, Corruption, cyberwarfare, Due Diligence, Europe, Geopolitics, governance, OCG, risks, Russia, Sanctions, supply chains, Threats, USA, Western Balkans / 09/2026

The Western Balkan states - Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia - remain overlooked areas of potential investment. However, oft-cited risks of operating there include weak governance and political paralysis, unresolved conflicts and secessionist movements, the enduring presence of organised crime groups and foreign hybrid influence. These structural threats are considerable,

The Western Balkans – the rising threat from Russia and the risks for Europe Read More »

Canada’s strategic crossroads: navigating between Washington and Beijing

Articles / Canada, China, defence, Due Diligence, Foreign Affairs, global governance, Global trade, global trade routes, Greenland, International Security, supply chains, USA / 01/2026

The environment that supported Canadian foreign policy since the end of the Cold War is fragmenting, with power politics returning to the centre of international relations and economic policy increasingly tied to strategic competition. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) reflected this assessment, arguing that the global governance framework is

Canada’s strategic crossroads: navigating between Washington and Beijing Read More »

The end of the Global South? A fragmenting bloc with no common interests

Articles / Africa, Asia, Due Diligence, Economy, Geopolitics, global governance, Global South, Latin America, manufacturing, Middle East, political instability, risks, supply chains, trade relations / 12/2025

The term Global South has served as diplomatic shorthand for a loose coalition of developing states seeking greater voice in a world dominated by Western institutions and norms. The label implied shared grievances and converging interests, suggesting that formerly marginalised regions could act collectively to reshape global governance. Today, however, this narrative is increasingly hard

The end of the Global South? A fragmenting bloc with no common interests Read More »

Europe’s push for rare earth magnet production: can it wean off China?

Articles / Canada, China, Due Diligence, Estonia, Europe, Geopolitics, minerals, rare earth magnet, risks, supply chains / 11/2025

Europe’s debut into large-scale rare-earth magnet manufacturing via the newly opened plant in Narva, Estonia, is a bold signal. Backed by EU funds and Canadian Export Credit Agency loans, this facility represents a strategic effort to break China’s long-standing stranglehold on critical magnet supply chains. But as promising as that may seem, the road to

Europe’s push for rare earth magnet production: can it wean off China? Read More »

UK’s Manufacturing Crisis: JLR cyberattack, supply chains and industrial fragility

Articles / cyber awareness, Cyber Security, Cyber-attacks, Due Diligence, European Union, Industrial, manufacturing, risks, security risks, supply chains, United Kingdom / 10/2025

When a cyberattack hit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) - owned by India’s Tata group - at the end of August 2025, production paused across key UK sites and thousands of factory staff were told to stay home while systems were rebuilt. JLR moved to a phased restart in early October beginning with Wolverhampton, then Solihull

UK’s Manufacturing Crisis: JLR cyberattack, supply chains and industrial fragility Read More »

Supply Chains and Sovereignty: the rising trend of localisation vs globalisation

Articles / Asia Pacific, China, Due Diligence, European Union, Geopolitics, Global trade, manufacturing, risks, supply chains, USA / 10/2025

In the past, the logic behind global supply chains was deceptively simple: source components where they were cheapest, assemble products where production was most efficient/ economical, and sell where demand was strongest. This model, refined over decades, essentially prioritised cost and scale above nearly all other considerations. Yet, in recent years, geopolitical pressures, technological competition

Supply Chains and Sovereignty: the rising trend of localisation vs globalisation Read More »

Scandium Stockpiling: the new minerals arms race

Articles / Canada, China, Due Diligence, exports, minerals, risks, Russia, scandium, supply chains, USA / 10/2025

Scandium has quietly shifted from an obscure industrial input to a geopolitical bargaining tool. In mid-2025, Beijing brought it under its export licensing system, meaning buyers now wait longer and face tougher approvals. The EU reacted in July with a formal resolution criticising the move, underlining how even minor minerals are being pulled into bigger

Scandium Stockpiling: the new minerals arms race Read More »

Mongolia’s Rare Earth Strategy: balancing risks and rivalries

Articles / China, Due Diligence, economic growth, Foreign investment, global trade routes, minerals, Mongolia, political instability, risks, Russia, supply chains / 08/2025

Wedged between China and Russia, Mongolia is often viewed through the prism of its geography: landlocked and dependent on its neighbours for access to global trade routes. Yet, beneath its deserts and steppes lies a resource base that has the potential to redraw supply chains for critical minerals. Copper, gold and rare earth elements make

Mongolia’s Rare Earth Strategy: balancing risks and rivalries Read More »

Energy, Politics and Power: Guyana’s High-Stakes Ascent

Articles / China, Due Diligence, economic growth, energy markets, energy supply, Foreign investment, Guyana, Oil, risks, supply chains, USA / 08/2025

ExxonMobil’s deepwater discoveries in Guyana’s Stabroek Block have transformed the country from a marginal player to one of the most promising oil frontiers globally. The block holds over 11 billion barrels of recoverable reserves, placing Guyana among the largest new offshore producers. Since 2022, Guyana’s GDP growth has been the fastest in the world, averaging

Energy, Politics and Power: Guyana’s High-Stakes Ascent Read More »

From Conflict Zone to Energy Hub: Mozambique’s LNG Gamble

Articles / China, Due Diligence, energy markets, European Union, Geopolitics, Global trade, Mozambique, natural gas, Russia, security risks, supply chains, USA / 07/2025

In northern Mozambique, lies one of the world’s richest undeveloped gas basins, just offshore in a province still scarred by jihadist violence. Since 2017, the Cabo Delgado insurgency has claimed at least 4,600 lives and uprooted about a million residents, forcing TotalEnergies to suspend work on its flagship LNG complex in 2021. Fast‑forward to July 2025: Rwandan and

From Conflict Zone to Energy Hub: Mozambique’s LNG Gamble Read More »

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.